Thursday, April 26, 2012

January, 2012 saw the launch of the Focused Instruction
Process (FIP) at Eisenhower High School.

After four days of intensive training, teachers Tasia
Addison, Sara Davis and Teidra Taylor designed and began implementation of this
research-based, eight-step process.

With FIP, every freshmen student receives specific skill
instruction determined by the disaggregation of test data, and articulated on
the instructional timeline. Following that instruction, students receive a
formative assessment. These results are used to inform instruction, and assign
students into tutorial and enrichment groups. Tutorial students are then
retested to assure that follow-up assistance has been sufficient to raise
students’ capacities. Teachers maintain skill knowledge through spiraling back,
building on, and continuously revisiting previous material.

In order to assure a coordinated effort, these teachers meet
collaboratively 3-4 times a month to:

1)share quality instructional resources and
successful lessons,

2)conduct assessment evaluations using the
Backward Design Process,

3)discuss ongoing data and create action steps,

4)talk about challenges and celebrate successes.

It takes a committed learning community to make FIP a
success. Thanks to these teachers, Freshman Assistant Principal Janice
Ranzy-Allen, Terezka Jirasek, Strategic Learning Initiatives facilitator and
American Institutes of Research coordinator, Teresa Lance, FIP is not only
alive and well at Eisenhower, but will be expanding into more subject areas and
grade levels during the upcoming school year.

Monday, April 2, 2012

This month we would like to introduce you to Rosa Bahena, a parent from Edwards School!

Recently, our Family Engagement team had the opportunity to sit down with Rosa. Here is what she had to say....

SLI: Rosa, How did you become involved with SLI?RB: I attended the parent workshops at Edwards School. I was invited by Principal Judy Sauri to become a volunteer parent facilitator with SLI. I became aware of how important it is to be a part of SLI.

SLI: Why do you feel our work is important?RB: The SLI workshops are very important, because without them, we would not learn so many things to help our children. For example, I learned how to help my children with homework or science projects etc. This is why the workshops are very important to me, so I can continue learning and practicing with my children.

SLI: Tell us something interesting about yourself.RB: I am very friendly. I like to share with others. Most importantly, I like to volunteer at my children's school.

About SLI

The Mission of Strategic Learning Initiatives is to work with schools to dramatically improve classroom practice and district results.

The key to our success in our hometown, Chicago, is that we use the power of research as the guide to improving results in the classroom. Chicago is home to the best long-term research in the nation revealing what works—and what doesn’t—in education. We bring the best of that research and the best research from the world of business that tells us about total quality improvement to each of the schools where we work.

We know the qualities that must be present in a school in order for it to succeed. We work with our schools, principals, teachers and parents to ensure those qualities are present.

In schools where Strategic Learning Initiatives is at work, teachers teach, re-teach, and teach again until every student achieves mastery and the entire school moves forward.

Contact us for more information: 312-738-0022 ext. 1111 Educational Program Asst.